Replication of a Cohort-Based Computer Science Bachelor's Degree Model

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

With funding from the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, the Replication of a Cohort-Based Computer Science Bachelor's Degree Model project will support high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at California State University Monterey Bay, California State University Dominguez Hills, Hartnell College, and El Camino College. Throughout its five years, this project will fund 240 scholarships for students who are pursuing associate's and bachelor's degrees in computer science. This project's objective is to replicate a cohort-based pathway model developed by California State University Monterey Bay and Hartnell College within California State University Dominguez Hills and El Camino College, and to study both implementations to advance understanding of the elements of the cohort model that lead to student success.This project will study the impact of cohort supports, such as student learning communities and just-in-time academic support, on retention and transfer rates, bachelor's degree attainment, and employment success in computer science. In particular, this study will focus on first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students. It will generate knowledge about best practices for the design, structure, and implementation of these cohort programs. Specifically, the project will study the impact of cohort values such as identity, habits, and interrelationships on student success. The increase in graduation rates of women and Latino/a computer science students expected from this model will positively impact the overall diversity of computer science graduates, which will lead to increased diversity in the technology industry. The knowledge generated through this study will support larger-scale replication of this cohort-based model at additional institutions to serve a larger number of students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.